Amazon looks to go big on solar, clean energy

Amazon is to install solar panels at its warehouses and distribution centers around the world.

In an announcement on Thursday, the online retail giant said it was planning to install large-scale solar systems on the rooftops of over 15 "fulfillment" and "sortation" centers across the U.S. this year.

The initial projects, set to be completed by the end of this year, will produce as much as 41 megawatts of power at facilities in California, New Jersey, Maryland, Nevada and Delaware, Amazon said.

Further afield, Amazon said it was planning to deploy solar systems at 50 of its facilities globally by 2020.

"As our fulfillment network continues to expand, we want to help generate more renewable energy at both existing and new facilities around the world in partnership with community and business leaders," Dave Clark, senior vice president of Worldwide Operations, said in a statement.

"We are putting our scale and inventive culture to work on sustainability—this is good for the environment, our business and our customers," Clark added.

"By diversifying our energy portfolio, we can keep business costs low and pass along further savings to customers. It's a win-win."

Amazon is looking to become a leader when it comes to sustainability.

In September last year, for example, it announced its plans for Amazon Wind Farm Texas, a 253 megawatt wind farm in Texas set to open at the end of this year.